Method of and apparatus for producing stereoscopic pictures



c. F. MENDEZ 2,251,850

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING STEREOSCOPIC PICTURES Original Filed July 8, 1936 FIRE.

Patented Aug. 5, 1941 METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUC- ING STEREOSCOPIO PICTURES Ciro Fidel Mendez, Mexico City, Mexico Original application July 8, 1936, Serial No. 89,607. Divided and this application May 6, 1939, Serial No. 272,236

3 Claims.

My invention consists in a new and useful improvement in method of and apparatus for producing stereoscopic pictures, and this application is a divisional application from my co-pending application for United States Letters Patent, Serial Number 89,607, filed July 8, 1936, in which I disclosed an improvement upon my invention described and claimed in my application for United States Letters Patent, Serial Number 69,195, filed March 16, 1936. In my aforesaid invention, the stereoscopic effect is procured by the use of a concave reflecting surface generated by a line moving in an arcuate path disposed in a substantially horizontal plane. Such a surface produces a degree of objectionable distortion, and it is to correct such distortion that my present invention is designed. Essentially, my invention consists in producing stereoscopic pictures by the use of a concave reflecting surface causing horizontal distortion, and vertically distorting the images, before their horizontal distortion, to compensate for the necessary horizontal distortion, and thereby produce symmetrical images. As hereinafter fully described, the result can be accomplished in a variety of ways. may be initially vertically distorted, either in reproducing the prints or films with the proper form of lens, or by projection with such a lens. When such vertically distorted pictures are reflected from a concave surface the observed pictures will be symmetrical.

While I have illustrated in the drawing filed herewith and have hereinafter fully described several embodiments of my invention, it is to be distinctly understood that I do not consider my invention limited to said specific embodiments, but refer for its scope to the claims appended hereto.

In the drawing:

Fig. l is a diagrammatic illustration of that form of my invention in which the proper lens is used in the projection of the pictures, to distort the initial images vertically.

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic illustration of that form of my invention in which the vertical distortion of the images is secured in the original picture by the use of the proper lens in printing.

As illustrated in Fig. l, the image I shown as a circle having the horizontal and vertical diameters la and lb is projected through the lens 2 upon the translucent screen 3. By reason of the character of the lens 2, the image 4 caused to appear upon the screen 3 is distorted vertically, its horizontal diameter 4--a being the same as the horizontal diameter la, but its The pictures vertical diameter l-b being greater than the vertical diameter L4). The reflecting surface 5 because of the character of its surface causing horizontal distortion, reflecting the image 4, produces the image 6 having the horizontal diameter 6-a greater than the horizontal diameter 4a and the vertical diameter 6b the same as the vertical diameter 4-2). Since the lens 2 and the reflecting surface 5 are designed to effect corresponding degrees of vertical and horizontal distortion, respectively, it is obvious that the horizontal and vertical diameters 6a and 6-b of the image 6 are identical, thus producing a circle, whereby the required horizontal distortion of the reflecting surface 5 has been compensated to produce a symmetrical image 6, as observed by the eye E.

As illustrated in Fig. 2, the image I, a circle having been initially distorted vertically in its production by the use of the proper form of lens, has the horizontal diameter Ta and the increased vertical diameter lb, and is projected upon the translucent screen 8, causing the image 9 having the horizontal and vertical diameters 9a and 9-b corresponding with the diameters 'l-a and |-b. The reflecting surface Ill, because of its character causing horizontal distortion, reflecting the image 9, produces the image H having the horizontal diameter lla greater than the horizontal diameter 9a of the image 9, and the vertical diameter Il-b the same as the vertical diameter 9b. Since the initial vertical distortion of the image 1 and the horizontal distortion of the reflecting surface l0 precisely correspond, it is obvious that the horizontal and vertical diameters Ha and l|b of the image I I are identical, thus producing a circle, whereby the requisite horizontal distortion of the reflecting surface l0 has been compensated to produce a symmetrical image as observed by the eye E.

Having described my invention, what I claim is:

1. The method of producing stereoscopic pictures which comprises utilizing a normal picture of objects; projecting an abnormal picture produced from said normal picture, and which is vertically distorted to a precisely determined degree upon a plane screen; and reflecting the said abnormal picture from a concave cylindrical surface, placed, adjusted and disposed to produce a horizontally distorted Virtual image to compensate the distortion of the projected picture, which surface by laterally and uniformly deviating the reflected light rays produces the required degree of horizontal parallax, uniformly throughout the whole picture, to provide for observers at different lateral selected places laterally and parallelly displaced images, so that the binocular vision of each observer registers two images which are at the precise and uniform degree of lateral and parallel displacement to be perceived as a single image in any part of which appear the distances of depth which existed between the objects.

2. The method of producing stereoscopic pictures which comprises utilizing a normal picture of objects; so projecting said picture as to deviate the light rays therefrom so as to produce an abnormal plane image vertically distorted to a precisely determined degree; and reflecting the said image from a concave cylindrical surface, placed, adjusted and disposed to produce a horizontally distorted virtual image to compensate the distortion of the projected image, which surface by laterally and uniformly deviating the reflected light rays produces the required degree of horizontal parallax, uniformly throughout the whole image, to provide for observers at different lateral selected places laterally and parallelly displaced images, so that the binocular vision of each observer registers two images which are at the precise and uniform degree of lateral and parallel displacement to be perceived as a single image in any part of which appear the distances of depth which existed between the objects.

3. A system for producing steroscopic pictures, comprising a vertically disposed plane screen; means to project upon said screen abnormal pictures of objects, by so deviating the light rays from a normal picture of said objects as to produce on the screen a picture vertically distorted to a precisely determined degree; means to compensate the said distortion and to secure the necessary uniform degree of horizontal parallax throughout the entire picture, comprising a concave, cylindrical reflecting surface, having a vertical axis, generated by a straight vertical line moving in an arcuate path disposed in a hori zontal plane, with the chord of the arc of said surface at an acute angle to the plane of said screen, to cause the said reflecting surface to reilect the pictures to observers, distort horizontally the images thereof, and laterally and uniformly deviate the light rays to produce a laterally parallel displacement of said images from difierent lateral points of view, the arc of curvature of the reflector being uniform throughout its entire height and being adjusted with reference to the distance between the plane of the screen and the reflecting surface to symmetrically compensate the said vertical distortion, and provide identical images in that precise degree of lateral parallel displacement as to be perceived binocularly from selected places of observation as a single undistorted image having, throughout, the right distances of depth which existed between the objects of the normal picture.

CIRO FIDEL MEN-DEL 

